Field



iria se arisr onirica.

DAVXD BAIRD MACDONALD, OF LEICES'IEER, LND JACKSON CALVERT, 0F H''IDDEP FIELD, ENGLAND; SAID CALVER'I ASSIGNOR 'E0 SAU) MACDOIILD.

MANUACTURE 0F NITBOPHENOLS.

No Drawing.

To all 'Lv/tom it may camara.'

Be it known that we, DAviD Barni) MAC- noNALn and JACKSON Canvnn'r, subjects of the King. of Great Britain, residing at Leicester, England, and Huddersfield, England, respectively, have invented certain new and useful improvements in or Relatingr to the Manufacture ci' Nitrophenols,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of nitro-phenols and consists in an improvement in the process wherein nitric aeid (concentrated or diluted) benzene and mercurie nitrate are used.

The action of nitric acid on benzene in the presence of mercurio nitrate produces pieric acid (tri-nitro-phenol), and nitrohenzene along with more or less mono-nitrophenol.

The object of the invention is to facilitate the formation of nitro-phenols, particularly Qt-di-nitro-phenol, and this is achieved by bringing' into intimate contact with the mass during the carrying out of the aforesaid process, oxygen or air 4or a mixture of same, or a mixture of oxygen or air (or both) 'with carbon dioxid. The use of carbon dioxid alone, for the purpose just mentioned, forms the subject of our co-pending United States application Serial No. 203182.

The intimate contact may he brought about in any suitable manner such for example as by forcing 0r sucking the oxygen, air or aforesaid mixture tljirough or into the mass.

Gr the nitric acid and mercurio nitrate may he mixed apart from the benzene, and the oxygem'air or aforesaid mixture may be passed through the loenzene and the vapor 1 or spray of benzene lthus produced and containing the benzene and oxygen, air or mixture passed'into or throughthe mixture of nitric acid and mercurio nitrate.

Or the benzene and mercurio nitrate in solution in a sufficiency of nitric acid may be mixed apart from the bulk of the nitric acid, and the oxygen, air or aforesaid mixture may be passed through the nitric acid and the mixed vapor or spray passed into or through the mixture of benzene, mercurio nitrate and nitric acid.

rlhe oxygen, air or mixture may be used at a suitable pressure and temperature for the purpose previously stated.

enable the invention to be clearly un Specification of Letters atent.' Patented (Het, 251i, lltlliili).

Application filed November 21, 19 17. Serial No. 203,183.

derstood, three examples of the manner in which it may loe carried into practical effect`A will noiv `be described.

According to one example, the process consists in dissolving 4 grams of mercury in 90 grams of nitric acid (sp. gr. lfl) diluted with T grams of water; to this l0 zgrams of benzene are added. Into this mass a slew stream of .oxygen or air or a mixture of same, or a mixture lof oxygen or air (or both) with carbon dioxid (the quantities and proportions of which are hereinafter set forth), is passed. the temperature Vbeingn maintained at approximately 40 to 50O (l. with or Without extra agitation. After a period of about 6 hours, or when the action ceases, the top layer, consisting;` of a solution of 2:4di-nit1"o-phenol, some nitro-benzene and traces of ortho-mononitroeplienol in benzene, is drawn oil' and from this the 2 :4- di-nitro-phenol may he separated by evaporatingr off the volatile products leavingr the i).z-di-nitro-phenol in a commercially pure condition. Q :4r-di-nitro-phcnol remaining in the acid liquor may be extracted with benzene which is then evaporated oli'.

Alternatively when the' action ceases, a jet of steam may he introduced into the mixture. to separate, by distillation. the henzcne, nitro-l3enzene and any ortho-mond nitro-phenol present, after which the :4- di-nitro-phenol may either be drained oif, after cooling, or may be extracted with henzene and separated as aforesaid.

In another example, 4 grams of mercury7 may he dissolved in 20 grams of nitric acid (sp. gr. 1.39), to which is added 40 grams of benzene A stream of oxygen: er air or a mixture of same, or a mixture of' oxygen or air (or both) with carbon dioxid (the quantities and proportions of which are hereinafter set forth) is passed through a flask or vessel containing grams of nitric acid (sp. gr. 1.42) the mixed vapors from the flask or vessel being led into the mixture of mercurio nitrate, nitric acid and benzene, the temperature being maintained at approximately 40 to 50 C. When the action ceases, separation may be effected in asimilar manner to that described in the previous example. The mixed vapors from the flask orvessel may be either drawn or forced through or into the mixture of mercurio nitrate, nitric acid and benzene.

The quantities and proportions of the 1 cel gases and gas mixtures to be employed in the two examples just described are as follows:-

Oxygen (used alone) 8 grains.

Air (used alone) grams.

Willen mixed, oxygen -fgrams and air 18 grams.

When mixed, oxygen 1 'grams and carbon dioxid 11 grams.

When. mixed, air 1'( grams and carbon dioxid 11 grams.

When mixed, oxygen 23 grams. air 12 grams and carbon dioxid 7 grams.

These quantities are passed into the mass or through the flask or vessel as the case may be in the period of about f hours mentioned, and at, a pressure of approximately l atmosphere above normal.

According to a further example, the oxygen or air or mixture of same. or a mixture of oxygen or air (or hoth) with carbon dioxid, may be first passed though benzene contained in a separate vessel, the mixed vaporsl being let info a mixture of nitric acid and mercuric nitrate, the temperature beine' maintained at approximately 40 to 500 (l. The ingredients may he used in proportion approximately similarl to those given in the two examples previously descriliei'l. The vapors may be either drawn or forced through or/into the mixture. the products hein ,g separated as previously set forth.

:In carrying out the herein described example provision may be made in a suitablev manner for condensing and collecting the benzene, nitrogen oxids and nitricacid vapors (which are evolved in carrying out the proc ess) for further use.

The invention is, not to b e confined to the proportions of the ingredients specified in the herein described examples as such proportions may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

lVhat we claim then is 1. In the manufacture of nitro-phenols by the process wherein nitric acid, benzene and mereuric nitrate are used, introducing air by drawing or forcing in through or into the mixture of mercurio nitrate, nitric acid and benzene.

2. In the manufacture of nitro-phenols by the process wherein nitric acid, benzene and mercurio nit 'ate are used, introducing a mixture of air and carbon dioxid by drawing or forcing it through or into the mixture of mercurio nitrate, nitric acid and benzene.

3. In the manufacture of nitro-phenols by the process wherein nitric acid. benzene and mercurio nitrate are used, introducing air into the mixed mercurio nitrate, nitric acid and benzene, by first passing it through nitric acid and then drawing or forcing the mixed vapors into or through the mixed mercurio nitrate, nitric acid and benzene.

4. In the manufacture of nitro-phenols by the process wherein nitric acid, benzene and mercurio nitrate are used, introducing a mix'- fure of air and carbon dioxid, into the mixed mercurio nitrate., nitric acid and benzene, by first passiner it through nitric acid and then drawing or forcing the mixed vapors into or through the mixed mercurio nitrate, nitric acid and benzene.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID BAIRD MACDONALD.

JACKSON CALVERT.

Witnesses:

R. WV. O. TAYLOR,

GEORGE LESTER. 

